Dental Problems: Please Help :(

kawaii-lobster

I'm a mature University student at 23 that very badly needs some dental work carried out.

For as long as I've remembered I've had a fear of dentistry, to the point where I start having a panic attack from just stepping into the room. This has lead to me avoid going to one and I've developed some problems because of it.

Now I'm 23 and my wisdom teeth are pretty severely impacted and they need to come out. I also need some other work done and I very badly need braces that for some reason I didn't receive as a child even though it was obvious from a young age that I needed them.

My problem is is that obviously now I'm 23 I need to pay for it myself, but as a student I'm desperately poor. People always talk about how students have loads of cash and are out every week, well that isn't true unless you're getting help from mum and dad which I'm not. I don't even know how I'm going to make it through my last semester since virtually all of my loan has been taken by my accommodation.

Right before I moved to university the dentist I was seeing talked about how my wisdom teeth would have to be removed at a hospital, but then I moved to a new city for university. I've tried setting it up in my new city but the 2 dentists I've talked to have told me that in order to get any work done, even emergency (because I'm chewing my gums apart at the side because of the way my mouth closes now) that I would have to fill out a HC1 Claim for NHS Help form. I've completed that and I've sent it off and 3 weeks later I've still not heard anything.

My mouth very badly hurts and at present I'm trying to avoid opening my mouth altogether, that includes eating and talking which is a problem for me as my degree is in language.

I'm sitting here crying because I don't know what to do or who to contact and I'm in pain. I really need this sorted as soon as is possible because the impaction is pushing my teeth together closer and closer and they're really badly overcrowded.

I feel stupid because at 23 I'm supposed to know how all of this works and have everything together and I have this ridiculous phobia and I still don't understand any of it or how the system works or what to do. I feel like a child.

This is what my lower jaw looks like now because of the impaction.
I was going to spoiler this but I'm not sure if you can on this forum.

rosalie-lavender

Hopefully you will hear about your HC1 certificate soon. My son and daughter had to send in HC1 forms recently and theirs took about 3 weeks to come through. One got a HC2 certificate for full help and the other one got the HC3 for limited help. They have bursaries and sound a bit better off than you so hopefully you will qualify for the HC2 as well.

Hopefully one of the dentists on here will be able to help you more with the way the dental system works. You are not alone in having a dental phobia so don't beat yourself up about it. Until I got my lovely dentist I would cross the road rather than walk past the open door of a dentists premises.

Skintski

I hated the dentist but I think it's about finding the right one. My current one talks me through everything he does and stops when I ask him to so I can regather myself. It doesn't fix everything but it helps a lot. I also tend to take my husband with me as he gives me something familiar to focus on.

Good luck getting your teeth sorted.

System

Tbh, your teeth look fine to me just a bit misaligned! I wouldn't say they are off putting or anything, like if you were talking to me, I wouldn't think omg look at their teeth.
I think most peoples front teeth are a mis aligned, mines are anyway, one crosses over at the front and the gums seem to be receeding because the teeth are moving closer together (similar age to you). Its frustrating because I don't know how to stop it. My wisdom teeth are coming in too and I think they impacted too, I will probably need to discuss with dentist. Think it costs around £30 to get a wisdom tooth removed or perhaps free if they are causing trouble. I would rather have misaligned teeth than rotted teeth.

There are a few dentists on here who will probably give some better answers though

brook2jack

You have filled out your hc1 , if you haven't got £18 odd for a nhs check up you will have to wait until your form is back to find out if you are exempt from charges.

If you are near a dental hospital you can normally get emergency treatment for free but that will probably not include taking your wisdom teeth out and if you are phobic sitting and waiting for a couple of hours in a busy dental clinic is probably not the best.

Talk to friends etc to recommend a sympathetic dentist . If you have severe phobia problems they may refer you to the community dental service who can sedate you to help you get through treatment comfortably.

From the sound of it you may also need referral to hospital for your wisdom tooth removal but you need to see a dentist first as simple hygiene measures stop most wisdom tooth problems.

I am afraid to say over the age of 18 you will not get braces on the nhs. That will be something to save for after you graduate and start work.